New International Version
Numbers 22:34
34Balaam said to the angel of the Lord, “I have sinned. I did not realize you were standing in the road to oppose me. Now if you are displeased, I will go back.”
Numbers 22:34 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And Balaam said unto the angel of the Lord, I have sinned; for I knew not that thou stoodest in the way against me: now therefore, if it displease thee, I will get me back again.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Then Balaam said to the angel of the Lord, "I have sinned, for I did not know that you stood in the road against me. Now therefore, if it is evil in your sight, I will turn back."
- New King James Version (NKJV)And Balaam said to the Angel of the Lord, “I have sinned, for I did not know You stood in the way against me. Now therefore, if it displeases You, I will turn back.”
- New Living Translation (NLT)Then Balaam confessed to the angel of the Lord, “I have sinned. I didn’t realize you were standing in the road to block my way. I will return home if you are against my going.”
Context of Numbers 22:34
32The angel of the Lord asked him, “Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? I have come here to oppose you because your path is a reckless one before me. 33The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If it had not turned away, I would certainly have killed you by now, but I would have spared it.” Balaam said to the angel of the Lord, “I have sinned. I did not realize you were standing in the road to oppose me. Now if you are displeased, I will go back.” 35The angel of the Lord said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but speak only what I tell you.” So Balaam went with Balak’s officials. 36When Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went out to meet him at the Moabite town on the Arnon border, at the edge of his territory.
Read all of Numbers 22Numbers 22:34 word by word
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר בִּלְעָ֜ם אֶל־מַלְאַ֤ךְ יְהוָה֙ חָטָ֔אתִי כִּ֚י לֹ֣א יָדַ֔עְתִּי כִּ֥י אַתָּ֛ה נִצָּ֥ב לִקְרָאתִ֖י בַּדָּ֑רֶךְ וְעַתָּ֛ה אִם־רַ֥ע בְּעֵינֶ֖יךָ אָשׁ֥וּבָה לִּֽי׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And Balaamבִּלְעָםbil‛âm · BalaamH1109
- saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- unto the angelמַלְאָךְmal'âk · messenger: angelH4397
- of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- I have sinnedחָטָאchâţâ' · to sinH2398
- for I knewיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
- not that thou stoodestנָצַבnâtsab · to standH5324
- in the wayדֶּ֫רֶךְderek · way: roadH1870
- againstקִרְאָהqir'âh · befallH7125
- me: now therefore, if it displease theeעַ֫יִן‛ayin · eye: seeingH5869
- me: now therefore, if it displease theeרָעַעrâ‛a‛ · be evilH7489
- I will get me back againשׁוּבshûb · to return: returnH7725
Cross-references for Numbers 22:34
- Exodus 9:27Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron. “This time I have sinned,” he said to them. “The Lord is in the right, and I and my people are in the wrong.
- Exodus 10:16Pharaoh quickly summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “I have sinned against the Lord your God and against you.
- 1 Samuel 15:24Then Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned. I violated the Lord’s command and your instructions. I was afraid of the men and so I gave in to them.
- 1 Samuel 24:17“You are more righteous than I,” he said. “You have treated me well, but I have treated you badly.
- 1 Samuel 26:21Then Saul said, “I have sinned. Come back, David my son. Because you considered my life precious today, I will not try to harm you again. Surely I have acted like a fool and have been terribly wrong.”
- 2 Samuel 12:13Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” Nathan replied, “The Lord has taken away your sin. You are not going to die.
- Job 34:31“Suppose someone says to God, ‘I am guilty but will offend no more.
- Psalms 78:34Whenever God slew them, they would seek him; they eagerly turned to him again.
- Matthew 27:4“I have sinned,” he said, “for I have betrayed innocent blood.” “What is that to us?” they replied. “That’s your responsibility.”
- Numbers 22:12But God said to Balaam, “Do not go with them. You must not put a curse on those people, because they are blessed.”
- Numbers 11:1Now the people complained about their hardships in the hearing of the Lord, and when he heard them his anger was aroused. Then fire from the Lord burned among them and consumed some of the outskirts of the camp.
- 1 Chronicles 21:7This command was also evil in the sight of God; so he punished Israel.
- Proverbs 24:18or the Lord will see and disapprove and turn his wrath away from them.
Commentaries on Numbers 22:34
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 34If it displease thee, I will get me back again - Here is a proof, that though he loved the wages of unrighteousness, yet he still feared God; and he is now willing to drop the enterprise if God be displeased with his proceeding. The piety of many called Christians does not extend thus far; they see that the thing displeases God, and yet they proceed. Reader, is this thy case?Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 22-35Verses 22-35 We must not think, that because God does not always by his providence restrain men from sin, therefore he approves of it, or that it is not hateful to him. The holy angels oppose sin, and perhaps are employed in preventing it more than we are aware. This angel was an adversary to Balaam, because Balaam counted him his adversary; those are really our best friends, and we ought so to reckon them, who stop our progress in sinful ways. Balaam has…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 34I have sinned: Balaam admitted he was wrong. He realized that he had not seen the angel of the Lord standing in his way. He also had not understood the angel’s purpose. Balaam offered to turn back and not continue on the journey.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 34-3534-35. I have sinned ... if it displease thee, I will get me back again--Notwithstanding this confession, he evinced no spirit of penitence, as he speaks of desisting only from the outward act. The words "go with the men" was a mere withdrawal of further restraint, but the terms in which leave was given are more absolute and peremptory than those in Nu 22:20.Read the comment
Topics related to Numbers 22:34
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Numbers 22
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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